“He’s dead Hutchinson. Starsky’s dead and YOU killed him!” The caller on the other end of the phone laughed, a hollow, chilling sound that froze Hutch’s soul.
“NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Hutch yelled into the now dead phone. Crying, he picked up the phone and threw it across the living room of his small home. He sank onto the floor, head in his hands and sobbed, knowing the unnamed voice was telling the truth, and hating himself. He threw himself down on the couch as the events of the last twenty-four hours replayed in his mind.
************************************************************************************
“No way Hutch. We’ve eaten your health food what-ever-you-call-it for the past three days. I’m not doing it again. I want a cheeseburger and big chocolate shake.” Starsky leaned across his desk, his hands emphasizing the size of the shake he wanted. “We’ve got to go back on stake-out tonight and I need some real food!”
Hutch, tall, lean, and blond, prided himself on his healthy diet. He had been trying for years to get Starsky more interested in taking care of himself. His dark-haired partner’s idea of a healthy snack was the occasional glass of milk with his greasy burgers and burritos. It didn’t help that Starsky stayed fit and trim in spite of his not so nutritious fare. Now, Starsky turned his blue eyes and mischievous grin on his studious partner.
“How about a compromise? There’s that weird little pizza place over on Dearborn. They have all that goat-cheese pizza junk as well as pepperoni and mushroom. How about we go there?” He shamelessly let the little boy in him wheedle his partner. He knew that Hutch couldn’t refuse him when he did that.
“Fine, but separate orders. You can have indigestion all night,
not me.” Hutch tried his best to suppress the grin that lingered
at the corners of his mouth.
“Done!” Starsky jumped up, rubbing his hands together. Smiling widely, he led the way out of the squad room and down to the parking lot. He unlocked the passenger side door of his car for Hutch before going around to the driver’s side to open his own. He stopped long enough to use his sleeve to polish the window of the car door.
The red Ford Torino was Starsky’s pride and joy. It was fire-engine red with a broad white stripe down the side that angled up to the back windshield. Everyone at Metro knew the car even if they didn’t know Starsky. Hutch was constantly teasing Starsky about his taste in cars, telling him that it was too ostentatious for police work. He much preferred his beat-up brown Ford LTD. Starsky maintained that at least his ran compared to Hutch’s car that seemed to live at the garage. The argument was always in jest and served as fuel for many of their mock battles.
After dinner, the two officers drove to the waterfront and checked in with the officers they would be replacing. The department had gotten a tip that a major shipment of drugs would be coming into the country by freighter. The drugs would be off loaded at sea and brought to shore by tugboat. The informant had specified the location but was unsure of the timetable. Tonight would be the fourth night of watching. The partners separated to take up their positions.
Each man had a portable radio to keep in touch with his partner. If either one saw any suspicious activity, he was to call in and request back-up. It had been decided to post only two men for stake-out duty to reduce the chances of being spotted by the suspects. Other officers were available for immediate assistance.
Hutch crept around the south side of the warehouse to the pile of empty
crates he had found on the first night. He had rearranged the crates
to make a fairly comfortable place to sit and be able to see the entrance
to the warehouse as well as the road leading onto the pier. He knew
that Starsky was settled in on the north end where he could watch the rear
of the building and the water way. Anyone approaching the building
by land or water would be seen. Both officers settled in for their
six hour shift. They would be relieved at midnight by another pair
of plainclothes detectives.
The hours crept by with only occasional snatches of conversation over
the radio to indicate that anyone was around the building. Hutch
had just rearranged his position again when he heard a car approaching.
He lifted the radio to his lips. “Wake up buddy. We’ve got
company.”
“On this side too. There’s a small boat just drifting in. One man aboard that I can see. You call for backup while I try to get a better view.” Starsky signed off before Hutch could question him. Starsky dropped the radio and eased out of his hiding place. His hand automatically checked his gun as he moved closer to the water. He found another hiding spot behind a stack of five gallon barrels as the small craft eased past him and up to the dock.
One man climbed out of the enclosed cabin and tied up the bowline to the mooring ring on the dock. He then climbed the small ladder fixed to the side of the main pier and went up. He looked right and left before going toward the warehouse, digging a key ring out of his pocket as he did so. He let himself inside, then opened the main bay doors on the pier side. Starsky wanted to follow him, but knew that he would be spotted. He sank to the ground and listened hard for sounds coming out of the warehouse.
Hutch had heard the bay doors opening and now he could see the car driving around to the back. He spotted one occupant in the car and crept out of his hiding spot after the car had passed. The detective took advantage of the darkness to flatten himself against the wall of the warehouse and worked his way around to the bay door. He drew his gun and waited. The additional manpower he had summoned would be on their way by now and should be arriving in a few minutes. There could be no moves on the part of the police until they had the drugs in sight. Only then could the officers announce their presence and arrest the suspects.
Starsky saw Hutch waiting beside the door and wished he could join him. Unfortunately, the moon was shining bright and the two men inside the warehouse were facing the boat. If Starsky made any kind of move, he would be spotted and the whole operation would be blown. Starsky knew that help was on the way but he hated the feeling of being trapped. He couldn’t even wave to his partner to let him know where he was.
Hutch could hear the men inside talking. There were two voices
discussing payment and arranging for later deliveries. Hutch faded
back as he heard the men approaching the doorway. He scurried over
to the corner and concealed himself just as they cleared the door.
He peeked out, just in time to see a third man materialize on the boat.
“What the hell! Cops! Run!” the newcomer yelled. He had spotted Starsky behind the barrels. He pulled out a gun and took a shot at Starsky For his part, Starsky ducked, then ran out into the open, trying to gain the safety of another pile of crates a few feet away from Hutch’s position. He was almost there when he spotted one of the men in front of him raise a gun to fire. He stopped just long enough to squeeze off a shot. The man went down and stayed down.
Hutch came from around the corner at the first yell and saw Starsky running for cover. He leveled his gun at the man on the boat who was drawing a bead on his partner. Just as Hutch fired, Starsky moved. He stopped suddenly, bent over at the waist. The force of the bullet spun him around and he fell off the pier into the debris filled water below.
“Starsky!!!!!” The name erupted out of Hutch’s throat as he dropped his gun. He barely registered the fact that help had arrived and his fellow officers were rounding up the suspects. Hutch ran to the pier’s edge and looked down. There was no sign of his injured partner. Hutch jumped in and began to call Starsky’s’s name. He dived again and again, trying desperately to find his friend in the murky water. He could hear his name being called from up above, but he ignored it. He had to find Starsky!
Captain Dobey stood on the pier watching Hutch’s frantic search. All he had gotten was that Starsky had been injured and had fallen into the water. Dobey looked down, calling Hutch’s name. He could see that Hutch was tiring rapidly. The paramedics had been called, but Dobey could see they wouldn’t arrive in time to help Hutch. He motioned to two uniformed officers over to him. “Get him out of there before he drowns.” The gruffness in his voice hid the ache in his heart. Starsky was gone. Now it was up to him to try and save Hutchinson.
Hutch never realized when the two officers jumped into the water with
him. He did know when they grabbed his arms and tried to steer him
to the edge of the dock. He fought as hard as he could, but his strength
was gone. Finally, he gave up and allowed them to guide him to the
dock. He was too weak to pull himself up and more officers on the
landing pulled him to safety. He was guided to the ladder and again
he was lifted up. A blanket was thrown over his shoulders and he
was led to the front seat of a nearby squad car. He sat, his shoulders
drooping, his head hanging, all light gone from his still form.
“Hutch? Hutch?” a voice called softly. Hutch didn’t stir.
“Look at me Hutch. Tell me what happened.” Dobey bent down
as far as his ample frame would allow. Hutch wouldn’t, or couldn’t,
lift his head to meet Dobey’s dark eyes.
Dobey had to strain to hear Hutch’s answer.
“I killed him. I killed my best friend. Oh God!” The shout was half prayer, half exclamation. “I killed him!” The dam inside burst and Hutch was overcome with tears. He buried his face in his hands and gave in to the darkness in his heart.
Dobey straightened up, going gray beneath his dark brown skin. He couldn’t believe what he had heard. One of the uniformed officers who had helped rescue Hutch came up to him.
“It’s true sir. I saw it happen. Sergeant Starsky was standing by the edge looking this way. A second man popped up from the boat and had a gun pointed at him from behind. Hutchinson yelled to Starsky and shot. Starsky moved at the last moment, and...caught the bullet instead.” The man looked everywhere but at Hutch or Dobey. “We got the guy on the boat, but Starsky went into the water. I’m sorry.” With that, he left, shaking his head sadly. He knew that losing a partner was bad, but to have pulled the trigger yourself, he couldn’t imagine how that must feel.
********
Later that night, Hutch still hadn’t spoken a single word. Dobey had taken him back to the station and now had him firmly ensconced in one of the comfortable chairs facing his desk. Dobey had spoken to Internal Affairs and had turned over Hutch’s gun, which one of the uniformed officers had retrieved. It was standard procedure to investigate every shooting committed by an officer on duty.
The harbor patrol was still searching for Starsky’s body. One
of the commanding officers had confided in the police captain that the
undertow was strong and the body quite possibly might never be found.
Dobey hadn’t repeated that remark to anyone else. Starsky had been
well thought of around the station and he didn’t want morale to sink any
lower than it was already.
Now, Dobey sat and regarded Hutch. Never had he seen the man so dejected. He had sat with him several times before when Starsky had been severely wounded and had wondered what would happen if the unthinkable happened and Starsky died. Now, he realized, he had his answer. He hadn’t just lost one officer, he had lost two.
Dobey’s thoughts were interrupted when his office door opened slowly. A tall, lean black man entered. His manner was sad and shaky and he threw a questioning look at Captain Dobey.
“Can I come it?” the man asked.
“Come in Huggy.” Dobey answered with a wave of his hand. “Thanks for coming. Maybe you can get through to him. He’s not responding to anyone. I’m thinking of calling the department shrink and having her come down here.”
Huggy approached Hutch cautiously. Starsky and Hutch were two of his best friends. He had heard about the shooting before Dobey had called. Unfortunately, his informant hadn’t told him the whole story. When Dobey had called for his help, Huggy learned the awful truth. He knew that Hutch was far beyond just taking it hard. He had to be really hurting. Huggy knew of every time that Hutch had put his life on the line to ensure Starsky’s well-being, of every time Hutch had watched his partner cling to life in the hospital, of all the times that Starsky had returned the favor. Those two were more like parts of a whole rather than two people who happened to work together. Huggy had to keep a tight rein on his thoughts as he knelt down in front of Hutch.
“Hutch can you hear me?” he asked softly. “Come on Hutch, show
me something here. Look at me. Starsky wouldn’t want you to
do this to yourself, man. It was an accident, it wasn’t your fault.”
Huggy took one of his friend’s hands in both of his. Hutch’s hand
was limp and cold. Huggy reached up and gently took Hutch’s chin
in his hand and guided his face upwards till he could look the distraught
man in the eyes. A flicker of recognition awarded his efforts.
“Huggy?” Hutch’s voice was high and querulous. He tightened his grip on Huggy’s hand. “What have I done? I killed him Hug. I killed my best friend. What am I gonna do?”
Huggy said the only thing he could. “I don’t know Hutch, I don’t know. Let me take you home. You need to sleep now.” With a look at Captain Dobey, Huggy put his hand under Hutch’s arm and helped him rise from the chair. He guided his friend out of the building and into his car which was parked out front.
Hutch never said a word as Huggy drove through the dark streets back to Hutch’s small house. Once he had Hutch inside, Huggy put him to bed, drawing the comforter up around Hutch’s neck and turning out the lights. Closing the bedroom door and taking a seat on the couch, Huggy was finally able to give in to his own feelings of grief and loss. He cried out tears of silent agony, trying desperately not to awaken Hutch. He finally fell asleep just as the sun was making it’s morning debut.
Huggy awoke when felt a hand shake his shoulder. He sat up groggily and stared into Hutch’s haggard face. Wordlessly, Hutch handed him a cup of coffee then sank into the chair beside the couch, nursing his own cup.
“I can’t believe what happened Hug. I promised him that I’d watch out for him. I’ve done everything I could to help keep him safe and then, then... I shot him. Me. I don’t even know how I’m supposed to feel. I don’t have the right to miss him, guilty doesn’t even come close. I’m just numb, I don’t feel anything.” Hutch put the cup on the coffee table and held out his hands in front of him. They were shaking ever so slightly and he clenched them tightly. His haunted eyes sought out Huggy’s warm brown ones. Only Hug knew how close Starsky and Hutch were. Even Capt. Dobey didn’t truly understand how deep the friendship went. But Huggy understood. Huggy had watched both men in their deepest, darkest moments and still stood by them.
Hutch knew that he needed to be alone now. He wanted to call
Capt. Dobey and find out if Starsky’s body had been found, and he had to
call Mrs. Starsky. He had to tell her the news that he had shot and
killed her son.
Huggy could sense the thoughts running through the other man’s mind. He put down his cold coffee and stood up. “I’ve got to leave, got things to do. I’ll check back on you later. Call me if you need anything.” Huggy and Hutch hugged tightly, then Hug left. He knew that for better or worse, Hutch was over the worst of the shock. Only time would tell what would happen now.
After Huggy had left, Hutch looked around the room. The clock on the wall said it was just after four. There was still time to go down to the station and fill out the miles of paperwork ahead of him. He knew that he would have to talk to IA sooner or later and he really wanted to get it over with. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, as hot as he could stand it. He disrobed quickly and stood under the hot water, letting the warmth seep into his weary body.
Stepping out of the shower, Hutch shaved and dressed quickly. He went out to his car, remembering how just yesterday, Starsky had picked him up for work, remarking how nice it was not to have to ride in Hutch’s beat up excuse for vehicle. Then, Hutch had defended his taste in cars, now he would gladly listen to Starsky rant and rave about his choice of vehicle.
At the station, Hutch went in quietly and sat at his desk, trying not to notice the empty spot across from him. Fellow officers stopped by in a steady stream to offer words of support and condolences. Hutch thanked them, and they left, feeling uncomfortable in the stony silence that surrounded the blond detective. After a while, they stopped coming and Hutch was able to put the first piece of paper into his typewriter.
Hutch stared at the report form. He had filled out the easy part, name, position, date and time of incident. Now, he had to write out how he had killed a fellow officer in the line of duty. He started slowly, not noticing the tears that leaked from his eyes or the looks of sympathy from his fellow detectives in the room. At that moment, Dobey came out of his office and perched on the desk beside Hutch.
“You didn’t have to come in today. This can all wait.”
The captain remarked softly.
“I couldn’t stay home. I have to do something. I need to do...” Hutch threw up his hands. How could he explain how he was feeling to his commanding officer if he couldn’t explain it to himself?
“IA wants your report. I told them it might be a few days. I also want you to see Dr. Henry.” Dobey looked down at the papers in his hand, rather than at Hutch’s face.
“Whatever you say Cap’n.” Hutch responded. Now Dobey was even more worried. The Hutch he knew would never agree to a meeting with the staff psychiatrist. He knew Hutch was a very private person who tended to work out his problems on his own, or with his partner. With a shock, Dobey realized that Hutch didn’t have a partner now. He was both relieved and saddened by the realization that Hutch had accepted Starsky’s death. He wasn’t sure that a compliant Hutch was something he could accept.
At a loss for words, Dobey laid his hand on Hutch’s shoulder and left, going back into his office and softly closing the door. The few other detectives in the room caught the significance of the silence. Dobey was rarely, if ever, silent. The men looked at each other. This was going to be a long and rocky road. They wondered what would happen now.
Hutch began to type, trying not to feel as he wrote out the bare, grim details of the shooting. An hour later, he finished. His hands were shaking as he pulled the paper out of the typewriter, removed the carbon sheets, and signed each copy. He very carefully put the report into the OUT basket on the desk and put his head down. He was so very tired. He had just closed his eyes when the phone beside him began to ring. Automatically, he reached out to answer it.
“Hutchinson speaking.”
“You killed him you know. Starsky’s dead and you killed him!” The voice on the line was laughing gleefully,
“Who is this?!!” Hutch roared. “Who are you!?” He
slammed down the receiver just as Dobey came out of his office.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
“Someone’s idea of a sick joke.” Briefly, Hutch told him about the phone call.
“Some sick bastard must’ve read this morning’s paper and decided to celebrate.” Dobey said heatedly. “You and Starsky have made a lot of enemies over the years. Do you have any idea who your mystery caller was?”
“No, and I don’t care. All he was doing was telling the truth. I’ve gotta go talk to IA now. See ya later Cap.” Picking up a copy of the report he had just typed, Hutch walked out the door, letting it slam shut behind him. Briefly, Dobey wondered if he would ever see Hutch again.
Walking down the hall, Hutch took a few deep breaths to steady his nerves. Dobey was right, the phone call meant nothing. He and Starsky made, had made he corrected himself, a great team. Now he wasn’t sure if he could remain on the force without his partner. He came to the office of Internal Affairs and stopped. He and Starsky had been here many times but never, had they come willingly. Now he just wanted to get it over with.
Turning the knob, Hutch walked in and stood at the empty desk in the outer room. He laid the report down and went to sit in one of the waiting chairs against the wall. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. He didn’t have to wait long. The inside door opened and a smartly dressed woman of Hispanic descent entered the room. She stopped when he saw Hutch waiting for her.
“Detective Hutchinson. Thank you for coming. Why don’t we go into the office here.” She picked up the report and scanned it quickly. “I would like to hear your version of events. I have already spoken to the other officers at the scene.” She gestured to the door and smiled politely.
Hutch stood up and walked slowly into the office. “It had to
be her. Oh God, why did it have to be her?” He remembered the
day Sergeant Julia Marcos had arrived at the department. Starsky
had immediately tried out his boyish charms on her, only to have ice water
thrown on his ego. Marcos was considered the harshest IA officer
the department had ever seen. Her philosophy seemed to be that the
officer accused of trouble was guilty of something, even if her own department
cleared that officer of any wrongdoing. Now, she would be the one
determining Hutch’s role in the death of a fellow police officer.
Marcos entered the office behind Hutch and closed the door. She motioned him to one of the wooden chairs behind her desk and then sat down wordlessly. She began to read the report, picking up other papers on her desk from time to time and comparing details. She never once looked up at Hutch, sitting stiffly in front of her. After what seemed liked an eternity, she stacked all the papers up neatly, inserted them into a file, and faced him, folding her hands on the desk.
“Thank you for your time Detective. I see no reason here to require any kind of administrative leave. All of the reports clearly indicate that Sergeant Starsky stepped into the line of fire and was killed as a result. There is no indication that this was anything more than an accident. Of course there will still have to be a formal hearing. Pending the outcome of that hearing, I’m going to recommend that you be placed on one month of medical leave and be permitted to return with consent from the staff psychiatrist. That will be all.” She bent her head again to study a new pile of reports.
Hutch stuttered his thanks and left the office, his head spinning. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. The department wasn’t going to hold him responsible for Starsky’s death. That couldn’t be right, he was guilty of shooting his partner who just happened to be his best friend. Was Marcos being nice, or did she know the guilt that Hutch was feeling? Maybe his guilt was his punishment. Hutch felt drained, he couldn’t stand to be in the station any longer and left.
Pulling up in his driveway, Hutch wasn’t surprised to see Huggy sitting on his front porch railing. “Brought you some dinner.” Huggy called out to him, a ghost of a smile reaching his lips but not his eyes.
“Thanks Hug, but I’m not hungry.” Hutch answered as he unlocked his door. Huggy entered behind him and sat the bag he was carrying down on the table.
“Didn’t think you would be, but Starsky would expect me to take care
of you.” Huggy responded as he pulled out two covered bowls and gave
one to his friend. “It’s just soup. You have to keep your strength
up.” The black man passed over a spoon from the bag and took the
cover off his own bowl.
“You’re right. Starsky was right about you by the way.”
“Right? About what?” Huggy looked up from his bowl.
“You’d have a good, normal life if you weren’t busy looking out for the two of us. How many times have you done this same thing for us, for Dobey? Just show up with food, a helping hand, a listening ear. Starsky told me that some people were just made to be guardian angels, and he was really glad you were ours.” Hutch didn’t look at his astounded friend as he applied himself to the soup. He also didn’t add the fact that Starsky was still on painkillers after being shot by James Gunther’s men when he had said it.
“Starsky knew a good thing when he saw it. He was always there wasn’t he, whether you wanted him there or not. That man couldn’t stay away from trouble.” Huggy smiled at Hutch, remembering some of Starsky’s more famous antics. “By the way, did he make you listen to that new song he found?”
“What new song?” Hutch managed to look interested.
“You know by that Jimmy what’s his name. Something about a chesseburger in heaven...what was that?” Huggy furrowed his brow as he tried to recall.
“Oh yea. You know he brought that record over here. Let me find it. He’s been listening to this guy, Jimmy Buffet, on and off for a few years now.” Hutch looked through his stand of albums. “Here it is, Cheeseburger in Paradise. What a weird title for a song.” Hutch shook the record free from its cover and put it on the stereo. Huggy rummaged through Hutch’s refrigerator and came to the living room with a six pack of beer.
Together, the two drank, recalled memories of their dead friend, and
listened to the sometimes melancholy, sometimes hilarious songs on the
album. By the time the last song wound down, Hutch and Huggy were
sitting silently, each alone with his memories. “That’s how I came
to know another good friend” sang the album. The needle lifted up
and the stereo turned itself off. There didn’t seem to be anything
else left to say.
Just then, the phone rang.......
*******
Huggy just stared at Hutch as he watched the distraught man throw the phone across the room. He didn’t know what to say as his friend dropped down on the couch and became silent again. Huggy knew what the caller on the phone had said. It had to have been the same caller who had tormented Hutch at the station earlier. Huggy had thought that maybe Hutch was going to be all right, that he was accepting Starsky’s death, and his role in it, as the accident it was. Now, he knew that Hutch would never accept what had happened. Unsure of what to do next, Huggy just sat, a silent presence supporting his friend and offering a source of comfort and strength.
Hutch awoke the next morning to the smell of coffee, eggs, and bacon. He was surprised to find himself on the couch, covered with his old quilt from his bed. He threw off the quilt and staggered into the small kitchen where Huggy was pouring a cup of coffee.
“Good mornin, how do you feel?” Huggy asked. He hadn’t slept much, wanting to watch over Hutch. How many times had he done just that, watched over one or the other of the two men who meant so much to him. He decided he really didn’t want to know.
Hutch accepted the coffee and sat down gingerly at the table. He took a sip of coffee before answering. “Not so good.” he said truthfully.
Huggy looked him up and down. “You don’t look so good either. Have some breakfast, and then you can go get a shower. I talked to Dobey this morning when I went out for the groceries. He wants to talk to you and go over the forensics report. I told him I’d call when you were ready to go.” Huggy busied himself dishing up the bacon and eggs. He neatly snagged the two pieces of toast that popped up and buttered them before serving the plate to Hutch.
Hutch just looked at the plate. He really wasn’t hungry, but
how could he tell Huggy that. He picked up his fork and took a bite.
It actually did taste good. He had never figured out where Huggy
had learned how to cook. He also knew that he owed Huggy. He
looked at Huggy as the tall, black man sat down across the table from him.
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.” Hutch began.
“And what would that be?” Huggy asked, his voice not showing the weariness he felt.
“Thank you.” Hutch said simply. He wanted to continue, but the words seemed to stick in his throat. He reached over and placed his hand on top of Hug’s. The words he couldn’t say were expressed in his eyes. Huggy just studied him for a long moment before answering him.
“Think nothing of it. Who else is gonna baby-sit when you get in trouble? Dobey?” His grin was infectious and Hutch shyly returned it before turning back to his breakfast.
After Hutch had finished eating, Huggy talked him into a shower. While Hutch was in the bathroom, Huggy cleaned up the kitchen and then sat on the couch, leaning his head against the high back. He could relax now, Hutch was going to be okay, maybe not back to his old self, that would never happen, but he was going to be okay. Huggy closed his eyes for a much-needed rest. Seconds later, he was sound asleep, his weariness catching up to him at last.
When Hutch came out of the bathroom, he saw Huggy asleep on the couch. He knew then that Huggy had stayed up all night to watch over him. Hutch smiled sadly and arranged the quilt over his sleeping guardian. Leaving a note, Hutch walked out quietly and got in his car. He thought about how lucky he was to have such a good friend as he drove back to the station. Starsky was gone, leaving a hole that would never heal, but at least he knew that he wasn’t completely alone.
At the station, Hutch went directly to Dobey’s office. He knocked first, then opened the door at Dobey’s gruff, “Come in!” The blond detective sat down in one of the chairs facing the captain’s desk and waited patiently.
For his part, Dobey was surprised to see Hutch being so patient and
quiet. This was definitely going to take some getting used to.
“Feel better?” he asked.
“Not really, IA says there’ll be formal hearing but I should be cleared. What do you have on our suspects?” Hutch asked, pretending to be business as usual.
“The usual. All three of them are wanted for drug related charges. What I need you to do is to go over the forensics report with me. They’re still out at the pier. They want you to walk them through what happened. They have to get their report done for the hearing next week.” Dobey stood up and straightened his tie. Picking up the phone, he left word with the secretary where he would be, then led Hutch down to the parking lot and his car. Hutch was in no mood to talk, so the ride was made in silence. Dobey wanted to say something, but settled for the occasional glance at the silent man beside him. He hoped that seeing the place again wouldn’t upset Hutch too badly.
At the pier, Dobey introduced Hutch to Sam Reynolds, the head investigator for the department’s forensics team. Reynolds had been hired just the month before and was still meeting all of the officers he would be working with. He held out his hand to Hutch.
“Nice to meet you Detective, I wish it could be under better circumstances. Captain Dobey here told me that Sergeant Starsky was your partner.”
“Nice to meet you too Reynolds. And yes, Starsky was my partner.” Hutch didn’t elaborate any further. Quickly, he changed the subject. “Why did you need me out here? I gave you my report.”
“Yes you did, but something doesn’t add up. How many shots did
you fire?”
Reynolds decided to come straight to the heart of the matter.
“Only one.” Hutch whispered, looking out over the water with a look of pain etched on his face.
“And your weapon is a .357 Magnum, correct?” Reynolds quizzed.
“That’s right. What’s the point?” Hutch was getting frustrated.
“My point, Detective, is that you missed a fourth suspect in the warehouse. He must have been just inside the door of the warehouse, near your position.” Reynolds informed him.
“How the hell do you figure that?” Hutch asked, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Simple, all three suspects were armed with .45's that were part of a group stolen last month from a gun dealer in the valley. I found one slug lodged in the wheelhouse on the bow of the boat, a .357 slug. Your weapon had only been fired one time. You hit the boat, not your partner. The man who killed Detective Starsky, got away.” Reynolds stated simply, folding his arms across his chest.
Hutch just stared at the man. A weight lifted from his soul. He hadn’t shot his best friend. “Are you sure?” Hutch whispered, wanting to believe what he had heard.
“I’m sure Detective. There was a fourth man here, and that man fired the shot that killed David Starsky.”
******
In the shadows cast by the morning sun, a silent figure dressed in rags
was listening to the conversation. The officers’ voices carried well
this close to the water. Having heard all that was said, the figure
silently moved away and vanished in the general hubbub of the normally
busy pier.
The shaggy figure avoided the workers and piles of material on the pier as it made it’s way carefully to a small, boarded up shack on the edge of the last docking pier. The place was in disrepair and smelled of rotten wood and mold. The ragged person lifted its hat and scanned the waterfront for any passersby. Seeing no one, the figure opened the door and slipped in, closing the door softly and lodging a board underneath the knob inside to wedge the door shut.
Inside, the shack was made up of a single room with one painted-out
window facing the water. Wadded up newspapers and other trash littered
the floor along with a stained mattress. The unknown figure took
off the coat, revealing a young girl of no more than 17 or 18 years of
age. She took a small wrapped package out from under the torn shirt
she wore and approached the mattress.
Under a dirty pile of torn blankets, lay the still, pale figure of a man with a solid build and thick, black hair. The man was unconscious with a bad wound to the right side of his stomach. The girl felt his forehead, he was burning up with fever. She reached out and held her hand over his mouth to feel his breathing. It was ragged and came out in short gasping breaths. The girl sat down next to him and undid the wrapping on her package. It proved to be a small canteen and a lump of bread. She opened the canteen and poured a little of the water in her patient’s mouth. She was rewarded by the sight of him swallowing a little of the water. She tried to get him to eat a portion of the bread, but he was unconscious again. She pulled the blanket back up to his neck and sat stroking his hair.
********
Hutch and Captain Dobey made the trip back to the station in silence. Knowing that he hadn’t killed his friend had eased Hutch’s guilt, but being at the scene had brought back his grief over Starsky’s death. Dobey understood that grief. He, too, had lost a partner once and decided to just be there for Hutch. Hutch would talk when he was ready. Right now, they had a murder case to solve. Dobey hoped that the process of catching Starsky’s killer would help to quiet a few of Hutch’s demons.
“Cap, I’m going to talk to those men we brought in. One of them has to know who the shooter is. He could have been the one off the boat, or I could have missed him in the car. Either way, I’m gonna nail him.” Dobey could hear the grim determination in the detective’s tone.
“I’m way ahead of you.” Dobey led the way into his office.
He picked up a file from the top of his desk and handed it to Hutch.
“Here are the arrest reports on the three you and Starsky got. The
dead man was Erik James. This was his first time out. The one
on the pier is his brother, Jason. He has a record of petty stuff.
He was trying to break into the big leagues. The man on the
boat has a very interesting history.”
“Conrad Brent. Says here he’s wanted back East for dealing. Couple of warrants out in Arizona for assault, one charge in Idaho for rape. This guy is a regular jack-of-all-trades.” Hutch studied the report. “There’s a note here about his latest business partner, one Wilson Samms. No known address.” Hutch looked up from the file. “What are the odds that Samms here is our shooter?”
“No bets. I’ve got R and I on it now. By the way, I’ve had a tracer put on your desk phone and mine. If this guy calls again, I want to be able to track him down.” Dobey sat on the front edge of his desk.
“What makes you think he’ll call again, assuming that it was him in the first place.” Hutch asked, a hurt look stealing across his chiseled features.
“Because he’s already called you twice. I’m betting he wants you to fall apart over killing your partner. He knows he did it but he’s having fun with this. He’ll call, guys like him need the ego boost.” Dobey went around and sat back down at his desk. “Why don’t you go give Huggy a call and let him know we’re gonna be tapping the phone at your place too.”
Hutch just looked at Dobey in amazement. “How did you know Huggy was at my place?”
“Where else would he be?”
********************************************************************************
She sat on the edge of the pallet, watching the sleeping man. He had started to talk in his sleep, calling out a name, begging for the pain to go away. She had held his hands when he had reached out, but she didn’t know what else to do. With a start, she realized he had woken up and was looking at her.
“Where am I?” he asked weakly.
The girl jumped up and cowered against the far wall of the shack.
Her eyes were wide with fear as she looked at him.
Starsky looked at the girl, wincing as he recalled the shooting.
He looked around, trying to figure out where he was. “Who are you?
Can you tell me your name?” he asked weakly. She didn’t answer and
he could see she was terrified, but of what? There was no one else
in the room, and he wasn’t in any shape to be a danger to her. He
tried again. “I remember you. You helped me get here, didn’t
you? Can I call you Angel?” A ghost of his customary grin tagged
at his mouth. “Come here, I won’t hurt you. You took care of
me, huh?”
Carefully, Angel girl eased her way back to the injured man. She reached out with a trembling hand and picked up the canteen, handing it to him. When he couldn’t hold it, she picked it up and held it to his lips. When he signaled that he was finished, she re-corked the canteen and scurried away again.
Starsky looked at her and thought hard. She was young and was probably a runaway. He didn’t know why she wasn’t talking or what she was afraid of. The pants and oversized shirt she wore were filthy and ripped in a number of places. Her face and what he could see of her arms were smudged with dirt and her hair was tangled and matted. Her life wasn’t an easy one, but still, she had helped a stranger. That fact alone spoke volumes to the young detective.
“I need your help again. My partner, can you call him for me?” Something told Starsky that his Angel would be too frightened to call for the police or an ambulance. “His name is Ken Hutchinson.” Starsky stopped and gritted his teeth as pain lanced through his abdomen. He awkwardly fished in his pants pocket for his badge and ID. He could feel his head start to reel again. “Here, I’m a cop. Call my partner to come get me. He’ll take care of you too. He can...” Starsky passed out again as the reeling in his head overtook his senses.
Angel nervously walked back over to the unconscious man. She
picked up the wallet and looked at the badge inside. She held the
wallet to her chest and began to rock softly. A low, sob escaped
her throat. Here she felt safe, but to do what he had asked, to contact
this friend, she couldn’t do it. She looked at the man again.
He hadn’t tried to hurt her, but he needed help. She looked at the
badge in her hand and a tear escaped her eye. Crying softly, she
picked up her discarded coat, unlocked the door, and stepped outside.
Huggy showed up at the station moments after Hutch emerged from Dobey’s office. He was carrying a sack of hamburgers and a large soft drink. He placed the food on Hutch’s desk and seated himself in Starsky’s chair. “How ya feelin’? I brought you some lunch.” Huggy said as he took a drink of the cola.
“Better. We may have a line on those guys at the pier. Especially, the one who really shot Starsk.” Hutch gave a wan smile at Huggy’s wide-eyed stare. “Forensics found where my bullet went. Someone else hit Starsk. We think it’s a guy named Wilson Samms.” Hutch picked up the file that he had just received from Research and shoved it over to Huggy.
“Mean looking dude. He the one that’s been calling you?” Huggy asked.
“Dobey thinks so. The phone here is tapped and so’s the one from my place. I was just going to call you.” A wider smile crossed Hutch’s face now.
“Sounds like it’s time to catch this turkey. Since you have things all wrapped up here, I’ve got places to be. Be seeing ya.” Huggy stood up and pushed in the chair, his hand lingering on the seat back.
“Be seeing ya. And Huggy, thanks again.” Hutch said quietly. Huggy just nodded and left the room.
Hutch went to work studying the file on Samms. He made a few phone calls to the other states with charges pending against the man, but found out nothing new. He had just hung up the phone, when it rang. Hutch answered. “Hutchinson.”
“And how’s your partner today, rest his soul.” Again the same laughter.
“My partner’s looking for your ass in the hereafter Samms.” Hutch hissed. He snapped his fingers at one of the other officers in the room. When the man looked up, Hutch pointed urgently at the phone. The other detective nodded and pick up his own phone to begin the trace.
“Oh, so you know who I am huh? Still doesn’t change the fact
that you killed your partner.”
“Starsky may be dead, but it wasn’t me that killed him. We can prove that it was you who pulled the trigger and God help me, I’m gonna enjoy tracking you down.” Hutch was fuming. He wanted to hang up but knew that he needed to keep Samms on the line as long as possible.
“Catch me if you can PIG!” The line went dead. Hutch flopped his head back and looked the ceiling. He didn’t need his comrade’s announcement to know that the call hadn’t been long enough to trace.
Feeling the need to be doing something, Hutch picked up his jacket and strode out the door. He drove back to the pier. Somewhere there, he would be able to find the answer to all of this. He parked his car in back of the warehouse, facing the water. He searched the warehouse carefully, but came up empty. He went out and stood on the edge of the pier, looking out across the water. “Goodbye Starsk.” he whispered. He hung his head and said a silent prayer for his friend.
Angel peered out of her hiding place beside the warehouse. The blond man was just staring out over the water. She knew that he was one of the cops that was involved with her injured friend. She looked down at the badge in her hand. She could feel her heart pounding in fear. People always meant pain. She couldn’t do it, couldn’t bring herself to approach him. But, maybe there was a way. While the blond man stood on the edge of the pier, Angel made her way around to the other side of the warehouse. The car was only a few feet away from her. With luck, she could make it and get away.
Silently, her nerves screaming in protest, Angel made it to the open window of the car. She reached in and laid the wallet with the badge and ID on the front seat. She had almost gotten back into her hiding place when Hutch turned around and saw her.
“Hey! What are you doing!?” Hutch yelled and began running
towards her. Angel opened her mouth in a silent scream and ran.
Hutch stopped at his car to check for damage and felt his heart leap into
his mouth at the present the girl had left. Reverently, he picked
up the badge and ran his finger lightly over the surface. He looked
around for the girl, but found she had disappeared. Hutch didn’t
know what to think. Had the girl found the badge and just wanted
to return it? Was Starsky alive and in need of help? Was it
the beginning of a ransom demand? Or was it just another person tugging
at the shreds of his soul?
Hutch climbed wearily back into the car and slowly drove away. He never saw Angel looking out from her hiding place with tears in her eyes.
Angel went back to her little shack and let herself in. She checked on her patient then rearranged the locking board on her door. She sat on the floor next to the sleeping man. She didn’t even know his name. She couldn’t read, so the lines and squiggles on the badge he had given her hadn’t helped at all. She wondered if he would wake up again, and what she would do if he didn’t.
Hutch spent the next hour scouring the pier for the mysterious girl. He asked the local dock workers questions, tried locked doors, turned over empty barrels and crates to no avail. She had simply vanished. Hutch decided his only option was to go back to the station and try to find a lead to Wilson Samms.
Once there, Hutch began calling the list of people that R and I had
come up with as having a past connection to Samms. The day passed
slowly and still Hutch found no one who was willing to talk to him.
After the last call, Hutch hung up the phone and put his head down on his
arms to rest his aching head. His phone rang again and he reached
out slowly to pick it up. “Hutchinson. Hello, anybody there?”
He waited patiently for an answer.
_*************
Back at the shack, Starsky had finally woken up again and had gratefully swallowed more water from Angel. He tried once again to talk to her. “Where are you from? Will you at least say hi to me?” Starsky could only surmise from her silence that she was unable to speak, though she seemed to hear quite well. He tried to sit up, grabbing at the wound in his side as he did so. His fever had risen even higher and he knew that if help didn’t come soon, he would be beyond caring.
He smiled at Angel again. “Please help me. I know someone
has hurt you real bad before, and I’m sorry about that. I promise,
I won’t hurt you, but I need you to help me get outta here. If you
can’t call my partner, then help me do it. Is there a phone around
here that I can get to?” Angel considered briefly, then nodded.
“Will you help me get there? I can’t make it without your help.”
A fit of coughing overtook him and she jumped to his side to support him
until the coughing stopped. She took his face in her hands and turned
him to face her. She closed her eyes, then opened them again and
pointed to his injury. “Yes, I am gonna die if you don’t help me
get to a phone.” Starsky said gently. Angel appeared to make
up her mind. She grabbed the misshapen cloak up and wrapped it about
Starsky’s shoulders. Kicking the board aside that served as a door
lock, she opened the door and braced it before the light evening breeze
could blow it shut. Angel knelt by Starsky, and with surprising strength,
helped him to stand. Starsky cried out from the pain and clung grimly
to consciousness.
As they exited the shack, Angel supported Starsky’s weight as much as she could. She knew of a pay phone outside of a building just a few hundred yards away. The building was closed for now but the phone still worked. Since it was after working hours, the activity on the pier had halted and no one was around to see the two making their way to the phone.
At the phone, Starsky leaned against the wall and fumbled in his pants pocket for change. He came up with the dime but couldn’t seem to make his fingers work well enough to put it into the slot. Once again, Angel came to his rescue. She slipped the dime into the phone as she handed the receiver to Starsky. She then put her hand on the dial face and looked at him expectantly. Gratefully, Starsky told her the number and watched as she dialed it carefully. It seemed like an eternity before the phone began to ring. Starsky took a deep breath as he heard Hutch’s voice come over the line.
“Hutch....it’s me....gotta come....pier....help..” Starsky couldn’t hold off the darkness any longer. He slid down the wall and his head fell to his chest as he lost consciousness once again. The phone fell from his grasp and swung back and forth on its cord as Angel sat down next to Starsky and wrapped him up in the cloak. She could hear Hutch’s excited yelling from the receiver and was too afraid to touch it.
At the station, Hutch exploded out of his chair as he recognized the
voice on the end of the line. “Starsky!! Where are you??
What happened?? Talk to me dammit! Starsky!!!” Hutch
cupped a hand over the receiver and turned to Dobey who had burst into
the room at Hutch’s yell. “Trace this call now!” Hutch yelled
to his captain. Hutch returned to the phone call. “Hang on
Starsky! I’m coming as fast as I can!” Hutch laid the phone
gently on the desk and looked up at Dobey.
“He said something about the pier. I’m on my way down there now. Call me on the radio when you have an address from that trace. He didn’t hang up but he’s not answering.” With that, Hutch fairly flew from the room and down to his car in the parking lot. He spun out onto the street with full lights and siren blazing. He never noticed the car that swung out from the curb behind him and took up the pursuit.
Hutch made the final turn onto the waterfront and parked his car exactly where he had earlier. He grabbed a flashlight from the glove compartment an began a careful search for his missing partner, calling out Starsky’s name in a loud voice. So intent was he on his search, that he never heard the car parking at the end of the pier. He never noticed the lone man get out and pull the handgun from the back of his pants.
Angel was still crouched down by Starsky when she heard Hutch’s voice from the waterfront. She began to tremble again. Here, crouched in the dark shadows, she could stay concealed and safe. But the man with her would die. He had promised not to hurt her and he hadn’t. But what about the other one. What would he do when he found her? Could she afford to take that risk? She looked down at Starsky again and put her shaking hand on his feverish forehead. Could he afford for her to NOT take the risk? With tears running down her cheeks, Angel gently kissed Starsky on the cheek and moved away from him.
Angel walked quickly to where she could see Hutch standing, searching with his eyes for his partner. She hid behind the corner of the last building peeking out shyly. She knew that Starsky needed help, but did she have to do it? Maybe the man would just find him on his own. Maybe Starsky wasn’t as sick as she thought he was. Maybe....maybe he would die if she didn’t get his partner. With tears streaming down her face, Angel stepped out of her hiding place and walked slowly to the blond man.
Hutch looked up to see the young girl walking slowly towards him.
Her clothes were dirty and torn, her brown hair was matted, and the tears
on her face made tracks in the dirt on her cheeks. At first, Hutch
thought she needed help, until she stopped right in front of him and held
out her hand.
“Can I help you?” he asked gently. The girl shook her head slightly and stretched her hand out closer to him. “You want me to come with you?” A nod this time. “What is it? Where do you want me to go?” The girl’s blue eyes pleaded with him to come. Hutch took the outstretched hand and felt her whole body shaking. He didn’t know if it was fear or sadness that had taken hold of her.
Angel felt him take her hand and she turned away from him to hide the fright she felt. His hand was warm and gentle, but still, memories lingered of a time when a man’s hand hadn’t been gentle. She began sobbing openly, but without making a sound as she led the tall man to where she had left the injured Starsky.
As he followed her, Hutch felt his heart break at the trauma this young girl must have been through to be this afraid of human contact. He knew that something had to be terribly wrong for her to need to touch him, to ask for his help. Rounding the corner, Hutch could see what she was trying to tell him. Lying on the ground, covered in a shapeless, dirty, cloak was Starsky.
Hutch dropped Angel’s hand and ran to his partner. “Starsky! Starsky look at me! Talk to me!” Hutch’s tone was frantic. He pulled aside the covering and took in the ugly wound. Starsky was feverish as well, and seemed to be unconscious. Hutch hugged him as hard as he dared. “I thought you were dead, you big lug! Don’t you ever die on me again!” Hutch gently rocked Starsky back and forth.
“Get off me or you’ll smother me to death.” Starsky said weakly. His glazed eyes looked up at the watery blue pools in Hutch’s face. “Angel must’ve found you.” Starsky turned his head in an effort to find her. Angel knelt down by him and took his hand, putting it in Hutch’s hand as the tears continued to fall down her face. “Thank you Angel.” Starsky said simply.
“Let’s get you to a doctor.” Hutch said briskly, trying to dry the
tears in his eyes. He got a good hold on Starsky and pulled him to
his feet. Angel stepped up to Starsky’s left side and helped to support
him as Hutch carried him from the right side. The three had almost
made it to Hutch’s car when a gunshot rang out.
“So now I have to finish the job huh!” Hutch knew that voice. Samms! Hutch pulled his gun and tried to find where Samms was hiding as he and Angel ran with Starsky to the cover of the car. They sat him down, nearly dropping him in the process as two more shots rang out in the night.
With a whispered command to Starsky and Angel to stay down, Hutch scurried over to the hood of the car and looked out. He couldn’t see anything but blackness. He decided to try to get closer and left the safety of the car for the pile of barrels near the door of the warehouse. Samms had gone quiet, too quiet for Hutch’s nerves. “Come on out Samms! You’ve already missed me twice and you failed to kill my partner. It’s over! Show yourself!”
Angel huddled by Starsky, terror plainly written on her young face. She clung to Starsky, burying her face in his chest. Starsky tried to hold her, comfort her, but all he could do was drape his arm weakly across her back. He picked up his head as he heard footsteps coming toward him. He tried to call for Hutch, but the words died in his throat as he saw a man with a gun come around the end of the car.
Samms made his way to the car. He had seen Hutch cowering behind the barrels and picked his way through the darkness to the car. He would take out Starsky and the girl first, then Hutchinson. He wanted Hutch to see his partner die. That would make his victory even sweeter. He walked to the car, and stood up to his full six-three frame. He pointed the gun at the helpless couple on the ground and smiled evilly. “Time to die Pig!”
“NO!” The sound burst out of Angel’s throat as she launched herself at the big man. Hutch turned at the sound of the scream, and paled when he heard the gun go off.
“Stop!” Hutch saw Angel fall and squeezed off two rounds into
the chest of her killer. He ran over and kicked the gun out of Samms’
reach as he knelt down to feel for a pulse. Finding nothing, he turned
to Angel’s lifeless body. He felt for the pulse that he knew wouldn’t
be there, then stroked her hair, patting it into place out of her eyes.
He looked at Starsky, who was shaking and crying with grief.
“She saved my life Hutch. That poor girl. I never even
knew her name. I couldn’t...” The tears closed up his throat
and he collapsed into the strong arms of his best friend.
One month later, Starsky and Hutch stood in the back corner of a small cemetery. A knee-high, heart shaped headstone topped a fresh grave. He wiped a tear from his eye as he knelt down to place a single rose on the base of the stone. “I don’t get it Hutch. She was so afraid of people, but she got herself killed protecting me.” Starsky couldn’t hide the tremors in his voice.
“Somewhere down the line, some one really messed her up Starsk.
She couldn’t bring herself to trust anyone again, until she met you.
When she saw you climb out of the water and collapse, she knew that you
needed help. She was a very strong person to be able to overcome
her background and care for you like she did.” Hutch laid a hand
on his partner’s shoulder. “You gave her something to believe in
again. You can feel good about that.”
Hutch could tell that the grief Starsky was feeling would need time
to sort itself out. He could be there for support, but Starsky would
have to do the hard part. “I’ll wait for you by the car.” Hutch
squeezed Starsky’s shoulder and walked on down the path to where the Torino
car sat.
Starsky turned to the headstone again. “I don’t know what to say
to you Angel. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough but, it’s all I
have. Thank you.” He walked away slowly to where Hutch was
waiting. Both men climbed in, and as Starsky pulled away from the
curb, Hutch took one last look at the stone and the name carved on it,
Starsky’s Angel.